HHSA

When people ask our dedicated Hanoverian breeders why they only breed Hanoverian horses, their answer is quite simple, ‘because they are the best’. And how can you argue with almost 300 years of organised sport horse breeding? The World Breed Federation for Sport Horses has, until recently, awarded the Hanoverian Horse the ‘Best of All’ Trophy every year since its inception.

In recent years Australia has been represented at WEG and Olympics by Hanoverian horses – Cinderella, Dundee, Amoucheur, Donna Carrera and KS Genoa. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, six Hanoverian horses became Olympic Champions. The golden German dressage team of Satchmo with Isabell Werth, Bonaparte with Heike Kemmer and Elvis VA with Nadine Capellmann consisted of only Hanoverians. Salinero with Anky van Grunsven and Sunshine with Imke Schellekens-Bartels helped the Dutch team to win the silver medal. In the individual competition all medal winners carried the Hanoverian foal brand: Salinero won gold, Satchmo silver and Bonaparte bronze.

FRH Butts Abraxxas with Ingrid Klimke and Butts Leon with Andreas Dibowski did their share to win a gold medal in eventing for Germany.

A magnificent result and the reason why Hanoverians are number one in the world!!

The facts are clear that joining this successful breeding group raises the chances of breeding successful horses for the Olympic disciplines. As a breed society we also stress the importance of Hanoverian horses being rideable to amateur riders and beautiful to look at as well as having the excellent basic gaits that make a performance horse.

Today the Hanoverian horse represents the most important breed of sport horses in the world. Olympic as well as World champions and the largest number of World Cup winners are from the Hanoverian studbook. A huge number of top competition horses have the H brand – the Hanoverian trade mark – on their back left side, which takes its inspiration from the crossed horse heads at the gable of the breeding farms in Lower Saxony.

Whilst importing a Hanoverian horse from Germany is an exciting and rewarding opportunity, and we readily encourage and assist our members in doing this, there isn’t as much need as there was in the past. We now have ample opportunities to use Frozen Semen from Hanoverian Stallions in Germany, as well as the excellent licensed and performance tested stallions here in Australia. This, coupled with the depth of quality Hanoverian studbook mares in Australia, makes it possible to buy a foal or young horse with the same breeding and quality (if not better!), without leaving the country or paying the air freight.’

History

In 1976, the first Verband registered stallion, Domherr, was imported into Australia by the Oatley family. However, it was only since 1981 that Hanoverian breeders in Australia were serviced by the Verband in the form of the Hanoverian Horse Society of New Zealand and Australia. Breeders here were under direct control of the Verband in Germany with all dues going to Germany and all paperwork being issued from there also.

On the 1st January, 1993, the Hanoverian Horse Society of Australia (Inc.), was formed from the previous association for a number of reasons.

On the 1st January, 1993, the Common Market within the European Community came into force. The borders of the EC countries were then abolished as commercial borders. However, the breed associations within the European Community covenanted a mutual observance of the borders of their respective associations.

In recent years, the total number of Hanoverian breeders outside Germany had substantially increased. It became more difficult to handle the affairs of the breeders from the central office of the Verband in Verden. For this reason, in December 1991, the Board of the Verband resolved on the following standardised handling in foreign countries.

From the 1st January, 1993, the Hanoverian brand outside Germany was supplemented by two specific letters for each country. These are set under the stylised horse heads, to denote the horse’s origin, e.g. AU for Australia, NZ for New Zealand, US for United States etc.

In order to ensure an optimum care of the breeders in their respective countries, the Verband ceded the right of branding this specific brand (the license for this) to an independent Society in each respective country. This ceding of the license is linked with the adoption of the main Stud Book regulations of the Verband.

The necessary binding to the parent-society of Hanover was fixed in a treaty which determined the adoption and observance of the main Stud Book regulations of the Verband, the participation of the breed management of the Verband in the panels of the respective subsidiary societies and the passive membership of the parent Verband of all the members of the subsidiary societies.

The formation of the Australian Society in treaty with the Hanoverian Verband has meant international recognition for our pedigrees, access to Verband breeding values and data, and the maintenance of the highest Hanoverian standards through inspection visits from Verband officials whilst allowing the Society to efficiently administer financial, promotional and office procedures.

Present

Today the Hanoverian Horse Society of Australia is fast becoming recognised as one of the most sound, structured and progressive breed societies in Australia.

As well as the continued further development and promotion of the Hanoverian horse and the Society’s aims, the Society has initiated and developed the following concepts:

Sales Catalogue

Developed to showcase the incredible quality of Hanoverian horses being bred right here in Australia, this booklet offers members access to affordable advertising of their stock to target audiences around Australia. The catalogue will be distributed at major dressage competitions throughout Australia and is also available on-line via the HHSA website and Facebook.

Pryde’s EasiFeed Novice/Elementary Leaderboard

Proudly sponsored by Pryde’s Easifeed, the Leaderboard was established in order to recognise and reward Hanoverian horses competing at Novice and Elementary levels around the country. Horses must be registered Hanoverians and owned by a current financial member of the Society. Points can be accrued from placings of 1stto 6th at specific competitions around Australia. The winner receives a pallet of Pryde’s Easifeed.

Young Rider Challenge

The Young Rider Challenge was developed in order to encourage and foster young riders in Australia riding Hanoverian horses.

The winner of this prestigious annual award receives a return economy airfare to Germany and four weeks educational training in Germany in conjunction with the Hanoverian Verband in Germany including breeding, riding, show education and a Celle Stud tour.

Importation of Fillies Project

The Hanoverian Horse Society implemented this exciting proposal as part of its “500 in 5” marketing programme to enhance the breeding programmes and broaden the gene pool of the Hanoverian population here in Australia.

The thought of importing a horse is something many owners and breeders consider, but the costs and the complexities of importation can be prohibitive. The Hanoverian Horse Society of Australia seized upon an innovative idea to assist its members in achieving this dream.

This project saw an agent appointed on behalf of members participating in the proposal who then bid on their behalf at the Hannoveraner Verband e.V 35th Elite Auction of Foals and Broodmares, 21 to 23 August, 2009. A total of 14 fillies were purchased under the proposal and subsequently imported to Australia.

Dressage clinics with visiting international instructors

These clinics were introduced as a service to Hanoverian members as an opportunity to have Hanoverian horses in Australia receiving top quality training. The HHSA has been able to offer these clinics to other interested horse and rider combinations, but HHSA members get precedence. Clinics are generally held in a number of states around Australia.